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Thursday, 31 January 2013

BLOG HOP: The Next Big Thing!

Right, my first ever blog hop! I had no idea such a thing
existed until I was tagged by the lovely Bernie McGill who I’ve mentioned
before. Basically it’s a chance for writers to share a little bit about their
work with other writers and the rest of the world. So, here’s everything you
wanted to know...

What are you
working on at the moment?

The sequel
to Death & Co. I have a working title but I’m always madly secretive about
my titles in a superstitious sort of way! So for now it is simply known as Book
2!

Where did
the idea come from for the book?

Obviously as
a sequel the idea came with the first book. It actually came about when I was
typing an email to my friend and writing mentor Bernie McGill (who tagged me to
do this blog!). I was supposed to be meeting her for coffee and emailed to warn
her that I had a stinking cold. Given to hyperbole I started writing, ‘I don’t
just feel like death; I feel like Death’s ailing granny...’ and felt that
sudden PING! that every writer will recognise – that feeling that there’s an
idea there that just might lead to something. I started writing Death & Co.
that night and never looked back.

What genre does your book fall under?

Near world Teen / Crossover fantasy. It’s our world with a
twist!

Which actors would you choose to play in a film rendition of
your book?

Ha! Every writer’s fantasy question! Unfortunately it would
require a time machine as I have a few ideas for actors but they would all need
to be about ten years younger than their current age. So for example Nathanial would
be perfectly played by a slightly younger Colin Firth. He has the right
combination of compassion and slight careworn-ness – not to mention being
so very English! Kristin Scott Thomas would make a lovely Elise – and no
one could do Auntie Jo more justice than Jo Brand.

What is the one sentence synopsis for your book?

Gah! Every writer’s most hated question! I guess it would
be: Fifteen year old Adam is a reluctant Luman, guiding souls into the
afterlife – when all he really wants is to be normal. Most of the tension and
humour in the book revolves around this.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an
agency?

I have a lovely agent called Gillie Russell at Aitken
Alexander Associates. She negotiated my deal with Hot Key Books, a fantastic
new publisher specialising in teen fiction. They only launched last year but
they’ve already had amazing success – one of their first books Maggot Moon won
the Costa Children’s Book Prize. So basically my book has found a good home!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the
manuscript?

I wrote it in bits and pieces – so worked hard for a couple
of months, then took a four month break, then finally found the motivation to
finish it over another couple of months.

What other books would you compare this to within this
genre?

This is a really tricky question because I can’t think of
any other books quite like it. In my mind it’s the book lovechild of The
Inbetweeners and The Adams Family!

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

I’ve already described the lightbulb moment up above – but I
guess I have always been interested in the supernatural and general existential
questions about why we’re here, what our lives mean – and of course if there’s
anything out there after we die. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t wrestled with
these questions at some stage in their lives – and the variety of
answers is amazing. Plus I've worked with teenagers for most of my career and they are great craic - so it seems natural to me to make them the heroes of everything I write!

What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

The book is quite dark in places – but it’s also very funny –
a bit like life itself. The general consensus from the people who have read
it is that ultimately it’s a joyful, life-affirming book in spite of the tough subject
matter. I’ll let you be the judge!

FINITO! That was quick! Now, time to pass the candle onwards
and upwards. Having mangled as many metaphors as possible I now present Deirdre Sullivan and KJ Foster. They’ll both be posting on the 6th February. Enjoy!

About Me

Young Adult writer, charting the highs and lows of the publication process and the writing life. Death & Co. and The Mortal Knife available now. Fault Lines to be released 01.01.2015. All Hot Key Books.